ACE: We are incredibly grateful for our partnership with Temple ISD! Tell us about your experience being an ACE partner.Ìý

Adrian Lopez (AL): Our experience has been very collaborative. Everyone I have interacted with has always been genuinely willing to listen, respond quickly and offer help. My contacts at ACE have made me feel very comfortable reaching out for anything, which has played a significant role in the success of our collaboration.

ACE: We share a mission to see teachers continue their education and advance their careers. How have Temple ISD teachers benefited from the program and ACE?

AL: The long-term effect of the partnership is still a matter of time, but so far, we have seen many teachers excited about the opportunity to advance their careers from paraprofessionals to licensed educators. There is a sense of pride within the cohort of teachers in the program, and it’s terrific to see that. They want to succeed and contribute to the district meaningfully because they’re profoundly grateful that we are willing to support their career goals.

ACE: The primarily originated due to a teacher shortage in Texas, which we’re seeing nationwide. How has the partnership contributed to resolving the shortage?

AL: The easy response is that we have been able to begin the last two years 100% staffed, which is unheard of in our area and across the state. The CATT program has not only played an integral role in our partnership with ACE but has also become a district recruiting tool. Many of our current paraprofessionals are asking to join the CATT program, and we have also received several phone calls from outside the district inquiring about the requirements to join TISD and the CATT program.

ACE: What advice would you give to a school district looking to create teacher development programs in collaboration with higher education institutions?

AL: I would recommend that a school district look at the relationship with the institution and the alternative certification program they plan to use. Additionally, it is essential to screen teacher candidates thoroughly to ensure the proper placement.

We include the CATT teachers in the new teacher mentor program, and they participate in all the new teacher professional development to ensure ample preparation. I would also suggest providing the participants with additional mentoring to work through the pedagogy of teaching and plenty of observations and feedback. This allows more one-on-one mentoring to close the gaps from not pursuing a traditional education program.

·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ is here to provide education solutions for your school district. Learn more about what ACE can do for you.

There are many reasons why employees leave and indicators of why they stay. Compensation isn’t always the reason. Leadership, lack of vision and feelings of isolation can lead an individual to move on. Awareness and intentionality can create a vision-focused, positive work environment that can be the difference between losing good people and growing an outstanding staff.

First, employees want to be a part of a vision-driven culture, know why they come to work and understand that they are working towards a shared purpose and goal. Good leaders understand this and make sure that their schools or districts are driven by a unifying vision and a strategy to achieve it. Exemplary employees won’t leave when they feel excited to be working with a team to make something important become a reality.

Second, employees and, actually, people in general crave connectedness. Help your employees feel like part of a team. Do that by promoting wellness. Use an employee newsletter to share good news, core values and positivity. Be present and visible in your classrooms; employees crave frequent feedback. Employees who receive more feedback are less likely to leave than those who receive limited feedback because they’ll be on a growing path set by leaders who believe in them.

Finally, run a professional organization. Do a thorough job with onboarding, making sure that new staff know how things work and what is valued. Follow that with frequent check-ins and create advancement pathways to keep staff engaged and growing. Provide recognition for initiative and success – it goes a long way! And, very importantly, do what you say that you’re going to do. Empty promises are so defeating; follow-through, on the other hand, is truly valued.

Working in education is hard but also rewarding. By emphasizing the positives and mitigating challenges, it’s possible to increase the likelihood that your team will choose to continue to show up for your students.

Employees who are engaged in meaningful work towards a shared vision, connected to their colleagues, and treated respectfully and professionally are much more likely to stick around, even when the going gets tough. When you create an environment that employees love, you won’t need to spend your time onboarding new folks because you’ll be investing in the ones you have. It will truly pay off!

·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ works with school and district leaders to create solutions for recruiting, retaining and developing quality educators. Learn more how we could work with you.